This kind of thing reminds me of a Johnny "Guitar" Watson move. It also helps get fingers accustomed to sliding very quickly. And this kind of sliding technique might help you see connections on the fretboard while giving you an alternative to standard blues solos.

This lesson takes the same ideas discussed in my last lesson, "Increase Left-Hand Strength and Produce Great-Sounding Sequences,” and applies them to the diatonic major and minor three-note-per-string scales. It will help you get the seven positions of the major scale memorized, increase your left-hand strength, solidify your alternate picking and deliver some great-sounding sequences.

These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the March 2015 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.

Regarded by many as the three most vital purveyors of pure hard rock/heavy metal sonic evil, AC/DC’s Angus Young, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi have each forged a distinct, instantly recognizable guitar style and sound. After more than three decades of dedicated service, all three players continue to influence countless up-and-coming metalheads the world over, and an in-depth study of each guitarist’s distinct musical personality is mandatory for any aspiring hard rock player.

The most fundamental challenge in fast picking is also the easiest to spot from halfway across the room: the motion mechanic. To play notes with a pick, we need a way of moving it back and forth in the classic alternating down-up picking sequence. Historically, this movement, or motion mechanic, has been the most visible and most commonly discussed component of picking technique.

These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the March 2015 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.

One of the most common questions I get from students and readers alike is, “I've learned tons of jazz chords, but how do I make them sound like music?” Alongside your study of chord voicings on their own, one of the best ways to learn how to apply those chords to your comping and chord soloing is to learn sample chord studies based on the changes to popular jazz tunes.